Common Workplace Injuries in Warehouses

Workers running around carrying, pushing, and pulling different equipment is a common sight in warehouses. Without a doubt, working in highly technical environments can even be a source of workplace injuries. To better manage a warehouse and minimise accidents and injuries, it is best to be familiar with the following common injuries:

1. Heavy equipment accidents

Heavy equipment such as forklifts are a top cause of injuries and even deaths in the warehouse settings. Forklifts, for example, are powered industrial trucks that are used to move, remove, raise, or lower objects. Though operated manually, there is a danger of the forklift overturning and subsequently crushing those nearby.

This kind of heavy equipment can also cause injury during loading and unloading of objects. Workers can even be hit or run over, can fall between the lift and the trailer, or can fall while on the elevated pallet. These accidents are due to crowded facilities, poor training, unsafe operational use, or just by unfortunate chance. It is important that those who operate a forklift have the acquired certification and proper training.

2. Slips, trips, and falls

It is generally common to have slippery or wet floors in any warehouse. There may even be uneven or dissimilar flooring surfaces. With the accumulation of debris, containers, pallets, or excess inventory, these could all create tripping hazards. Other threats may include factory residue, grease, or cords lying in areas people normally walk through. As such, the workers must be reminded to clean up spills immediately, and place caution signage on these slippery surfaces. Employees must also wear the proper footwear for the environment.

3. Dangerous exposure to chemicals

Sometimes it is necessary to work with hazardous and volatile chemicals, especially if these are part of the production process. Accidental spills of these dangerous substances are unfortunately difficult to prevent. Leaks and spills may become a threat to the safety of the workers. Vital to the security of the workers is good ventilation and proper training by those assigned to handle these chemicals.

4. Being hit by falling objects

When items and materials are stacked on shelves while the workers are constantly moving around, there is a huge risk of any of these things falling at some point. Other types of injuries caused by falling objects are usually due to poor conditions at work and operations setup, carelessness, and human error. Even industrial lift trucks, handling equipment, falling loads, and shifting inventory can cause injury to those in the workplace.

5. Machine entanglement

One of the most dangerous kinds of workplace injuries that can happen is machine entanglement. This type of accidents occur when workers get caught in or compressed by dangerous, huge factory equipment. Again, to avoid labourers from getting injured, it is important that they be appropriately trained in machinery operation and handling.

Prioritise safety always!

One way to prevent terrible situations from happening to the employees is putting up proper forklift safety barriers to designate safe and unsafe areas. These could warn the workers of the dangers of the different equipment and machines, a slippery floor surface that can serve as a tripping hazard, and dangerous exposure to chemicals. By putting up barriers and caution signs in the workplace, it would help lessen, or even completely prevent, accidents such as these from occurring. Another way is to have column protection which functions as a support for your columns to prevent vehicle impacts.

Contact Verge Safety Barriers for ideal solutions to any workplace safety problem. With barriers and tools that promote the security of your workers, you can ensure smooth operations within the workplace. Call us today to know more about how we can improve your warehouse’s safety.